It took 8-year-old Lanard nearly two years to choose his wish. While being treated for kidney cancer, it was hard to think about anything but getting well. As he started to feel better, Lanard decided playing in the snow was his one true wish.

Lanard and his family left balmy Florida for the Great White North – Minnesota. They arrived at Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake, where the staff greeted him with cold-weather essentials. They gave him the right clothes and some gear to have a blizzard of fun: a snowball maker and snowman-making tools.

Lanard dove straight into the snow and quickly mastered the art of making snow angels. He was thrilled with a 10-mile snowmobile ride through the snow-draped forests. Lanard also got to drive the snowmobile, a highlight of his trip. He also spent time counting all the deer feeding near the resort.

Lanard was eager to glide over the snow even more. This time, he had a dog team pulling his sled over the frozen ground. He also tried his hand at ice fishing, landing a sunfish. He had an incredible time, but Lanard was also ready to get back to his sub-tropical home.

“It’s too cold in Minnesota,” he told a local newspaper with a smile.